Biography

NoteCARDS:

Selected by the Cardinals with their second pick in the fifth round (159th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft, Nelson has played in 26 games (eight starts) and recorded 45 receptions for 867 yards and eight TDs in his first two seasons.

His average of 19.3 yards per catch is the best in the NFL over the last two seasons (2015-16).

In 2016, played in 15 games (six starts) and surpassed his rookie numbers in every category, catching 34 passes for 568 yards and tying for the team lead with six receiving TDs. All seven of his TDs (six receiving, 1 rushing) came in the final nine games of the season.

In Week 14 of the ’16 season at Miami, had a 56-yard TD run and an eight-yard TD catch. Became first Cardinals WR since Mal Kutner (10/24/48 vs. Boston) with both a rushing and receiving TD in the same game.

His 80-yard TD catch at Seattle in Week 16 last season was the longest TD reception ever by a Seahawks opponent at CenturyLink Field (which opened in 2002).

Played in 11 games (two starts) as a rookie in 2015 and caught 11 passes for 299 yards (team-high 27.2 avg.) and two TDs. Seven of Nelson’s 11 receptions in 2015 went for 20+ yards.

Nelson was the 11th Alabama-Birmingham player ever selected in the NFL Draft.

Was the fastest player at the 2015 NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds.

Pro Career: The second of the Cardinals two fifth-round selections (159th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft, Nelson has played in 26 games (eight starts) in his first two seasons.

NoteCARDS:

Selected by the Cardinals with their second pick in the fifth round (159th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft, Nelson has played in 26 games (eight starts) and recorded 45 receptions for 867 yards and eight TDs in his first two seasons.

His average of 19.3 yards per catch is the best in the NFL over the last two seasons (2015-16).

In 2016, played in 15 games (six starts) and surpassed his rookie numbers in every category, catching 34 passes for 568 yards and tying for the team lead with six receiving TDs. All seven of his TDs (six receiving, 1 rushing) came in the final nine games of the season.

In Week 14 of the ’16 season at Miami, had a 56-yard TD run and an eight-yard TD catch. Became first Cardinals WR since Mal Kutner (10/24/48 vs. Boston) with both a rushing and receiving TD in the same game.

His 80-yard TD catch at Seattle in Week 16 last season was the longest TD reception ever by a Seahawks opponent at CenturyLink Field (which opened in 2002).

Played in 11 games (two starts) as a rookie in 2015 and caught 11 passes for 299 yards (team-high 27.2 avg.) and two TDs. Seven of Nelson’s 11 receptions in 2015 went for 20+ yards.

Nelson was the 11th Alabama-Birmingham player ever selected in the NFL Draft.

Was the fastest player at the 2015 NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds.

Pro Career: The second of the Cardinals two fifth-round selections (159th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft, Nelson has played in 26 games (eight starts) in his first two seasons.

2016: Played in 15 games with six starts and tied for the team lead with six TD catches, totaling 34 receptions for 568 yards to surpass his rookie season numbers in all three categories … also ran for 83 yards on four carries, including a 56-yard TD, and returned two kickoffs for 53 yards … suffered a shoulder injury in the season opener vs. NE (9/11) … inactive (shoulder) vs. TB (9/18) … hauled in a 24-yard reception along the sideline on go-ahead FG drive in the third quarter vs. LAR (10/2) … saw increased snaps with John Brown injured and had three catches for 84 yards, including a 40-yarder in OT vs. Sea (10/23) … recorded first career multi-TD game with two TD receptions @ Car (10/30); totaled a career-high eight receptions for 79 yards in his first start of the season … hauled in 42-yard TD catch with just under two minutes left in the game to extend Cardinals lead to 31-23 vs. Was (12/4) … scored two TDs @ Mia (12/11), the first a 56-yard run in the first quarter and the second an eight-yard reception in the fourth quarter that helped tie the game; marked longest TD run by a Cardinals WR since Bobby Joe Conrad had a 56-yarder on 9/27/59 vs. Washington; became first Cardinals WR since Mal Kutner (10/24/48 vs. Boston) to post a rushing TD and receiving TD in the same game … caught five passes for 38 yards vs. NO (12/18), including a 10-yard TD reception … had a season-best 132 yards on three catches, including a career-long 80-yard TD in the second quarter @ Sea (12/24); marked sixth TD reception of the season (all in span of eight games); gave him a TD catch in four straight games … had a team-high 75 yards on four catches @ LAR (1/1/17), including a 32-yard reception on 4th-n-4 in third quarter that led to a TD.

2015: Played in 11 games (two starts) and caught 11 passes for 299 yards and two TDs, leading the team with a 27.2-yards per catch average … added three catches for 33 yards along with 56 yards on three kick returns in two playoff games … made NFL debut and returned two punts for 15 yards vs. NO (9/13) … had one special teams tackle @ Chi (9/20); left the game with a shoulder injury … inactive (shoulder) the next three games … inactive @ Pit (10/18) … with John Brown not playing due to injury, made first career start and had three receptions for 70 yards @ Cle (11/1); first career catch was a 38-yarder on opening drive that helped set up a TD five plays later … had a breakout performance on Sunday Night Football with four catches for game-high 142 yards and a TD vs. Cin (11/22); 64-yard TD in the third quarter tied the game at 14-14 and was his first career score and a season-long reception; converted a 3rd-n-14 with a 36-yard catch and a 3rd-n-16 with a 23-yard catch; had 19-yard reception on the first play of game-winning FG drive with less than a minute remaining ... had two catches for 53 yards @ SF (11/29), including a 34-yard reception that put the Cardinals at the 1-yard line on the game-winning TD drive … caught two passes for 53 yards and a 22-yard TD on the game-opening possession @ StL (12/6) … had an eight-yard reception in Divisional Playoff vs. GB (1/16/16) … caught two passes for 25 yards in NFC Championship Game @ Car (1/24/16).

College: Appeared in 46 games (22 starts) and finished his college career with 116 receptions for 2,273 yards and 20 TDs ... on special teams, had 76 kickoff returns for 1,932 yards and five TDs and returned 35 punts for 375 yards and a TD … also ran the ball 18 times for 90 yards and a TD … 20 career receiving TDs tied for third-most in Blazers history … scored 27 TDs (20 receiving/5 kick returns/1 punt return/1 rushing) during his career … of his 27 career TDs, 19 of them were plays of more than 40 yards … ranks first all-time in school history for all-purpose yards with 4,670 ... had five career kickoff return TDs in career to rank third all-time in Conference USA history … appeared in all 12 games with a career-high 11 starts and became UAB’s first Walter Camp first-team All-American as a senior ... led the country with a 38.3-yard kickoff return average and four kickoff return TDs ... also led the nation in combined kick return (kickoffs and punts) yardage ... named first-team All-American by USA Today and CBSSports.com ... JET Award recipient as Most Valuable Kick Returner of the Year, named for former Nebraska Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers … finished the season with 22 kickoff returns for 843 yards and four TDs ... ranked 10th in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,820) and averaged 151.7 all-purpose yards per game ... had three 100-yard receiving games to increase his career total to 11 ... led Blazers in receptions (42), receiving yards (846) and receiving TDs (8) while averaging 20.1 yards per catch as a junior … earned second-team All-Conference USA honors … ranked second in C-USA in receiving yards per game and all-purpose yards, sixth in scoring and seventh in receptions … tied for C-USA lead as he registered four 100-yard receiving games … returned a kickoff 97 yards for a TD vs. Troy and a punt 63 yards for a TD vs. Northwestern State …. had 367 all-purpose yards (highest total in NCAA) in the season opener at Troy … ranked No. 10 nationally in all-purpose yards … played in all 12 games with four starts for the Blazers as a sophomore and finished with 22 receptions for 414 yards and tied for the team lead with four TDs … his 18.8-yards per catch average was a team high … appeared in all 12 games as a freshman, seeing significant action at WR and also as a kick returner … had 17 receptions for 358 yards with a team-leading four TDs … also led team in average yards per catch (21.1) and had team-high 24 kickoff returns for 422 yards (17.6 avg.) … redshirted in 2010.

Personal: Attended Midfield (AL) High School where he led the team to the state Class 4A semifinals after finishing 11-2 during his senior season ... recorded 55 receptions for 1,049 yards, 214 yards rushing, five INTs and 19 TDs ... named The Birmingham News Metro-West Player of the Year ... selected to The Birmingham News All-Metro West Offensive Team ... named to the ASWA first-team All-State ... two-time Class 4A state champion in the 100 meters and also captured the 200-meter title … was also a highly regarded basketball player for Midfield, earning team MVP and all-region honors … two-year letter winner in track and field and basketball … majored in Communications Management.